


Feed Me

by Hollow Girl (Dejahvu)



Series: Eat Me [2]
Category: Pitch Black (2000), The Chronicles of Riddick (2004)
Genre: Drama, F/M, Survival, life - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-13
Updated: 2015-11-16
Packaged: 2018-04-20 16:03:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 8
Words: 18,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4793723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dejahvu/pseuds/Hollow%20Girl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to Eat Me: Fiona as survived, but is she the same?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

She covered her eyes at the bright light. It shone through the darkness so suddenly. She shuttered. The rays broke through the grate above, voices whispering above her. She couldn’t make out their words, couldn’t quite understand what was being said, all she knew was that they were opening the grate and coming down.

She sought haven on the opposite side from the ladder. The light broke up the darkness, shadows she hadn’t seen before creeping in around her. The flare had died weeks ago. Her eyes had adjusted the best they could, but the darkness was just that; an immovable force with winged beasts trying to eat her flesh.

“Well well well...” The voice that called out to her was unknown. His thick heavy tone broke up the silence she had gotten used to. He sounded like he had swallowed a bag of gravel, pieces stuck in his vocal cords. The light that he held in his hand shone bright around him as he brought it up to show his face. He had a decent beard and thick curls, his grin massive. “Right where they left you.”

“Can’t get nothing past you.”

“Do you know who I am missy?” He stepped around the edge of the closed gate that served as a floor; she circled the pit at the same rate. He treaded into the leftover bones of the dead baby creatures, looking down momentarily before looking back up; his grin even larger.

“I’m afraid not.”

“I know who you are. Fiona.”

Her name sounded strange in his mouth. She hadn’t heard anyone but Riddick say her name in a long time now, so hearing it again after weeks of no contact weirded her out.

“What’s in a name?”

“A lot when it’s yours sweetheart. They all think you’re dead.” He chuckled, taking another few steps around. Fiona kept her distance, running her hand on the edge of the brick core wall, eyes bouncing to the ladder that was getting closer. She was reminded of all the people who had died not too long ago, all the children, all the bodies. “The way I see it, you’re mine to do what I want with.”

“I’m not for sale.”

“I’m not in the business of buying my new toys.”

They dropped down from above without warning. She would have stood a chance, maybe, if it had just been the man across from her, but the others stormed her too quickly. They grabbed, slammed, and beat her to the ground, using rope to wrap up her arms and legs. She spit and cursed, clawed and kicked, but in the end she was wrapped up and laying on the ground, glaring up at the bearded man who was crouched beside her. She wished the babies would come back, she wished they would snatch at them through the grate. Maybe then her captor’s would be afraid, maybe they would run away. She wanted to be left alone.

“Names Tombs sweet cheeks.”

They lifted her up out of the pit and into a trail of light. It wasn’t long before she was being slammed into a passenger seat inside their skiff. The crew, only four, crawled in quickly behind, pulling themselves up over the edge and watching the blanketed darkness. The screams of torture, creatures destroying creatures, sang out like a sick melody through the night.

She had become used to it by now.

“Where we heading?” She watched Tombs as he programmed in a destination, pushing it off quickly so she couldn’t catch the name of the planet. The lights flooded the darkness around them and they were lifting up in the air in no time. Fiona didn’t think that this would be the way she would be leaving the planet but the way in which she left was unimportant. What was was that she was finally out.

“Just a little trade planet. Nothing too special. Got to unload some cargo.” He swiveled in his chair and climbed to his feet, someone else taking his position in the captain chair, watching over the switch panel. He sauntered over to her, eyes gleaming, a giant grin on his face, hands on his hips. “You’re gonna pay off nicely.”

“But you just bought me, having second thoughts already?”

“Oh you just wait girl. Your world was difficult before, just wait and see how difficult it becomes when you’ve gone and died.”


	2. Chapter Two

“R, you’re up.”

Fiona glanced up from her freshly wrapped hands. She slapped them together, testing out the feel of the gauze wrapped around her flesh. The pristine white that they were would be gone shortly.

The guards waited at her cell’s entrance. Iron bars, dirt and grim, the Core was just another home she had become accustom to. She nodded, rising up from her seat on the bed, heading out into the hall. She followed the learned routine, raising her hands to rest on the back of her head, letting her normal correctional facility officer pat her down before clearing her for the game.

Two armed guards took her flank and with a simple order they were off, heading down the corridor of cells. Fiona kept her eyes to the ground, flexing and wiggling her fingers in their wrappings. She stretched out her arms, loosening up the muscles that begged for a nap.

“I hear you’re getting out.” Bryan, her correctional officer, took her arm lightly to guide her down the corridor on the left.

“We listening to trash talk these days, B?”

He chuckled, letting his hand slip from her arm and drop back to his holster.

Every guard at The Core had a minimum of four guns on their person at all times. They also had a few other artillery items, stored away in various hidden pockets. Fiona had tried to coax and hitch her way out of the entry-level floor, tried to wiggle a few knives off of the guards. That was a long time ago though, she had been foolish then. It only resulted in her demotion to grounder level, sanity lost in the darkness. She was locked in a massive cell with the true grounders, complete and utter darkness all around them.

Her first five minutes there were spent curled up in a ball, pressed against the wall, clawing at her own flesh as tears spilled from her eyes. She hated the darkness, hated the suffocation she felt when the void reached out and touched her. It was only a matter of seconds before the claws reached out too. Before the scratching, sniffing, clawing, and noises filled her ears and she was lost.

Down there was where she learned about the place she now called home.

The Core was only fifteen years old, respectfully one of the best prisons in the Tri-teg galaxy. A wealthy beneficiary decided that he wanted to watch people fight to the death, and what better candidates than the over-growing population of criminals?

The facility was comprised of a total of five floors, each floor developing a different kind of warrior. Each battle taught you new strengths, new weaknesses, and in the end, to progress, you had to kill.

New inmates were dropped onto level one. Health care, food, and socialization given out like candy. They were assessed and then dropped into the finishing round that decided if they advanced up or were sentenced to workload, and inevitably trapped on grounder level for a lifetime.

Fiona did not want to go to workload.

Workload meant no advancement, workload meant injury and inefficiency. She had heard the rumors on grounder level. If a contestant made it to the top, all the way through level five, they were granted their freedom.

They stopped just outside the contestant quarters, Bryan pushing the buzzer to signal the front to open up the lock. With a drawled out silence the door finally popped, the giant metal shield sliding up and showing a giant room. Fiona was used to this place. She let the men escort her in and took a seat on the bench.

This was the best part, according to Bryan. He had confessed to her, when he was escorting her to the battle that decided if she would get in to level four, that he enjoyed the introductions the most. Letting the contestant’s meet one another allowed for the humans deep inside all of the created monsters to come out.

Fiona kept her eyes down. There were a total of seven other bodies in the room, a wide spectrum of sexes and ethnicities. She got a few glances of her neighbor, a young boy of no more than 18 years, shaking on his seat. He had the smell of piss on him.

“Welcome all to the Core. We have a wonderful opportunity here for you!” The booming voice carried past the guardians as the man speaking let himself into the room. He strolled with a happiness that escaped everyone else in the room. “Among us is a contestant that is wishing to end their stay here permanently, just one more fight in front of her.” The speaker was rumored to be the warden’s son. He was the announcer of all fights; a lean tall man that wore his hair slicked back and always had on a purple suit. His eyes were red, a trait of his Tri-teg heritage. “In a bit of fun, as our Warden is always trying to have, we have devised a new storyline for this show! Pitted against the lovely fifth year will be someone from each level, and in the end, three freshies. The one who wins? Takes her place. Sounds smashing does it not? For some of you this could very well be one fight for freedom. You are now all on equal terms.”

Bryan’s smile seemed to vanish, sucked up by the frown that took over his features. Fiona could feel the weight of the world on her shoulders in that moment, the boy beside her whimpering, trembling. She could smell him even more and could feel the warmth radiating off of him, a trickling noise joining the silence of the room.

There were cries to her right she could not see but she could fee the sorrow.

The sirens blared, one beat to announce the start.

The guards stepped up to the first person on the far left and helped the boy to his feet. He was nothing shy of seven feet tall, lean muscle and taught flesh. His hair was slicked back, the length pulled into a tight braid that fell down his back. His skin was covered in ink. The tattoo’s that had been acquired on the outside were a little bit more ornate and defined. The check marks on his left bicep declared him to be on level three.

The second person pulled up was a girl, standing two feet shorter than her neighbor. Her clothing was all but painted on, hair shaved completely off, ebony skin washed down with a light coat of dust and dirt. She had war paint on; her face covered in browns and greens. She was a level two, the hushed rumors about their queen warrior making its way all the way to the top. Sometimes, only sometimes, a fighter liked what they did so much that they stuck around; the only prize to be gained for her was the cred.

The third was a freshie. Her long blonde hair clean. She shivered, her t-shirt clinging to her flesh, the pair of jeans and tennis shoes she had on all fresh and clean. Her fear shook her, tears rolling down her face in droves as she wept.

The fourth person yanked up was a slender muscular female. She had waves of dark brown hair, curls tumbling all around her shoulders and down her back. She resisted the hands on her arms, pulled away from the guards, an ethereal growl emitting from her lips. Bryan smiled, looking back at Fiona as he pulled back from the contestant who stood tall and proud. When the girl followed his eyesight, and stared down Fiona, the world came crashing in around both of them.

Those eyes, Fiona knew those eyes. She had stared into those big brown sorrow-filled eyes years ago when a secret was told. A secret that would later decide her fate, that would assassinate a few extra lives in the middle of a shit storm on a godforsaken planet. Those eyes told stories, they brought back memories.

“R, let’s go.”

She was yanked from her reverie, pulled out of her own little world and tossed back into the hellish pit that death valley had to offer. The others had been lifted and lined up but she was lost. The curls were facing her now, no longer gleaming brown eyes, but bouncing curls covered in dirt and flecks of the world unknown. She could see, as she followed behind the boy who kept pissing himself out of fear, that Jack was not like the other two newbies. Her clothing was tight, a second skin on her otherwise sun-kissed exterior. Her flesh was warn by the world, her muscles buried under the cells, waiting to burst forth and push her harder and faster. She was stronger, curvier, powerful.

This wasn’t the child she had pushed off on another back on that planet five years ago.

“The only rule is that you’re not to engage the audience.” Bryan’s voice boomed from behind Fiona, his hand landing on the small of her back. Fiona was broken from her trance once again, the feeling of a knife slipping into her belt line, tucking discretely against the small of her back, bringing a smile to her face. “Fight, survive. The end results in one person standing, and then freedom.” He pressed against her back, a small sign of affection gone unnoticed by everyone else in the room. Fiona wiggled her fingers, cracking her neck.

The center ring held all kinds of tricks. The ground was made of dirt and sand, pits being hidden under trap doors triggered by buttons and patterns to be followed. You had to know them, had to figure out what pillar to touch, which button to shove, which tool to pick up. There were weapons hidden all around, some strewn out on the ground, others given when the survivors proved themselves worthy. The structure was intricate, four columns in the center, four pillars to circle around before the game was to begin.

The crowd roared when they descended into the center. Fiona kept her head held high, the newbies watching the ground out of fear. Jack kept her eyes level, her stare dancing over all of the things in front of her she would need to survive. Fiona felt a swell of pride rise through her as she watched the girl categorize everything and take inventory.

They were positioned in the center, Jack across from Fiona, eyes finally able to look at one another.

“To the death.” Bryan’s parting words left a sting.

The guards vanished from the field, leaving nothing but the eight heaving bodies.

“Please I don’t belong here, please god help me.” The blonde’s sobs broke through the roar of the crowd, her body trembling on the left of Jack. The second level warrior beside her chuckled, eyes darting over the freshies around her. She set her attention on Jack, cocking her head as she eyed up the woman.

“There is no god.” Third level spoke up, cracking his knuckles as he glanced over at Fiona. The pants wetter dropped to his knees, sobbing uncontrollably as he curled up on the ground.

“How did you get here?” Fiona addressed her long lost friend.

Jack crossed her arms over her chest, ignoring the others around her. The girl on her right was silent, her hand rested over her belly, eyes watching the boy on the ground.

“Hitched a ride. You?”

“Trade planet, fancy merchandise.”

When the roar of the crowd grew and the final siren bellowed out, Fiona leapt forward at Jack. The girl took her weight, allowing her to pull them away from the circle and into the outer space. The other long-term inmates pulled back as well, the freshies on their feet staggering away from the circle, trying to catch the commotion around them. Fiona only looked back for a second, watching as the sobbing boy, still curled up on the ground, was dropped into a pit just below.

The siren announced his death as the others scrambled for weapons.

“The warrior has her eyes on you and she’s not to be played with, rumor is her father was military. The tatted boy has won a many fights as well but his weakness is toying with his victims. He’s a sport killer.” Fiona grabbed at the knife Bryan had jammed into her back pant line, handing it over to Jack.

“And you?”

“I’m the one battling for my freedom, what do you think?”

They stared into one another’s eyes for a moment, Jack’s curls falling into her face as she tried to figure out the situation. Her eyes darted around the pit, watching the bodies that filled it. It was in that moment that Fiona realized that the girl in front of her wasn’t quite sure if she was going to live or die. She wasn’t completely confident in her abilities; _weakness._

“Don’t let anyone else see your fear.” Fiona grabbed her shoulders, demanding her full attention. “Look me in the eyes. You are my friend, Jack. We will survive this.”

“Kyra, my name is Kyra.”

Fiona was slammed into from behind. She pushed Kyra back, hitting the ground herself and rolling. When she got to her feet, looking back, she watched the blonde scramble to her feet. Tat was playing with her.

He approached, an axe in his hand, swinging to and fro, a grin deep in his features.

“The cry baby is mine girls, back off.”

“Don’t think we can do that.” Fiona stepped forward, tucking the young blonde behind her, hiding her from his view. As he approached his head cocked to the side, his grin fizzling slowly.

“How do you expect to go free R if you don’t kill the only things between you and freedom?”

She had no answer for him, and he took that as a sign. The axe swung at her face and she moved quickly, pushing the helpless girl out of the way. They both tucked to the ground, rolling to the left, Fiona rising up to her feet quickly. She darted past the boy, wrapping around a pillar and finding the button that was inserted into the side up high. When she hit it it popped in, a sword darting up from the ground.

Kyra had caught the boy’s attention, diving from his swinging as she corralled him into a smaller circling path. He was enjoying her foreplay, the knife out and flashing in the artificial sunlight.

When he took a swing at Kyra Fiona pushed forward. He had seen her however, dodging last minute, her blade hitting him on the shoulder only slightly. He lurched back away from her, grabbing at his fresh cut. The blood stained his hand, and he rubbed the substance on his chest, painting his flesh with his own insides.

“You’ll pay for that.”

He was back and fast, swinging at her, to which she dodged. He wasn’t nearly as coordinated; his bad arm his axe arm. She circled him, swiping at flesh when she could. He was quick though, agile and able to move out of her way before she could get a good hit. The sword was too heavy to swing faster, her stature thrown off with each swing.

He came barreling at her, axe above his head. Kyra come out from the side, running at the spot he would meet Fiona at, knife driving right at his abdomen. When he swung Fiona dropped, Kyra’s blade burying deep in the boys stomach.

The siren rang as he dropped to the ground, coughing up blood, axe dropping to the sand. Kyra put her foot on his side and with one tug the knife slipped out into her hold and his body collapsed into the sand.

“Do yourself a favor R.” His grin was stained in red. “Kill the girl now while she’s blinded by your friendship.”

His parting words echoed around them both but they had no time to think on it, the blonde girl hurtling towards them. She grabbed at the sword in Fiona’s hand, slipping it from her hold. She could barely lift it, hands shaking as the weight buckled through her body. She swayed dropping the sword in the direction of Fiona, tears streaming down on her face.

Kyra grabbed the axe and swung; the siren blared.

“Fucking nuts.”

“This place will do that to you.”

They both watched as the warrior took out a young boy, not shy of fifteen at all. The child staggered back, gripping at the dagger that was buried in his head. When he dropped the siren sounded again.

All that was left was the warrior, an unknown fourth level, Fiona and Kyra. They all locked eyes, the warriors grin growing as she spotted Kyra. She pulled at the dagger in the boy’s head and whipped it off on her pants, stalking towards the duo.

“I’ll take her, you get the other one.” Kyra was pushing forward away from Fiona without hesitation, going to meet the warrior half way. Fiona turned her attention to the boy that sat hunched down next to a pillar. He was fiddling with the side, digging at the ground around the column. When she moved towards him he looked up, a grin on his face. She had no time to wonder what it was for, his hand slamming down on a switch.

The blades darted up out of the ground unexpectedly. Fiona tried to move but she wasn’t quick enough, one of the sharp ends slamming into her calf. She hollered out, buckling down. With a quick pull she was free from the grounds hold on her but her leg was on fire, her muscle punctured.

The boy held no hesitation and was on her before she could see him. He threw her to the ground and she rolled quickly, avoiding his knife. She kicked at him when he scrambled on top of her, pinning her to the ground, knife to her neck.

“You killed my sister. She was a freshie four rounds back, a stack of points for you to advance. You didn’t even care did you?”

“Afraid not.” Fiona wriggled under him, getting her foot and knee hooked between his legs. With a proper push he was thrown off of her and she grabbed at his blade, forcing it from his hand. His eyes were the last things she saw before driving the knife into his chest.

The siren blared; twice.

Kyra rose from the ground two hundred yards away, eyes bouncing over to Fiona. They both picked themselves up, moving towards the center.

“What are the chances they’ll let us out together?”

Fiona shrugged, dropping to the ground. She sighed, rolling up her cargo pants, looking over the damage on her leg. Pulling off her shirt she shredded pieces of fabric off the bottom, wrapping up the cuts on her shin to at least avoid dirt and grim. The crowd jeered, Kyra dropping down onto her ass as well, lying back fully and letting the sand engulf her. She sighed, tucking her hands behind her head, crossing her legs.

“Tanning?”

“Got to get it in when I can.”


	3. Chapter Three

Fiona could feel the world moving around her, the heat of the sand pit replaced with the cool of the upper corridors. She didn’t need to open her eyes to know she was being transported to medical. She could feel the cool crisp air; artificial. She could hear the clicking of shoes on marble floor, and she knew that she was staining this world with her dirt and blood.

 _Jack_.

She threw her eyes open in a panic, looking for the raven-haired child.

“Be still.” The hand on her shoulder led to the lips that spoke, the stout woman just above her smiling down. There was nothing right about this situation however, nothing that made proper sense, nothing she wanted to be still for. She had been fighting; she had been in Death Valley, relaxing after a won battle.

“He’ll see them now, wounds aside. Bring them in.”

Fiona felt the tug as she was lifted and tossed down quickly. Her face hit floor and then she was drug across it, pain spiking up in her chest. She whimpered, coughing up the liquid stuck in her throat. Her eyes attempted to make sense of the splotches around her but each second that she was steady was rudely interrupted with shifts so sudden.

She was lifted once again, slammed down hard into a sitting position.

“Wake them so we can speak, I haven’t all day.”

As she lifted her head to show that she was in fact already awake something was jammed into her neck. The world moved so quickly in that second. She could feel whatever it was creep into her body. It moved slowly at first, reaching out to just her muscles in her neck and then suddenly, it was everywhere. She shook, a scream crawling out of her mouth as her body began to violently convulse. She felt the fire in the pit of her stomach, a fire so strong that her limbs were bound to explode. Each inch of her body roared to life with the flames on the inside, each part of her trying to run from the horrible sensation.

Then it was all gone.

She threw her eyes open gasping to put air back into her empty and raw lungs. She could see, she could make sense.

Jack was beside her, bound and tied to her own chair, looking much as she figured she did, eyes blood shot and wide open. They stared at one another for a moment before looking forward at the source of their entertainment.

“It’s lovely to finally meet you, Fiona.” His grin was wide, teeth blood red inside his mouth. His lips were stark white, as was the rest of his flesh. He held no natural shine, no normalcy to his skin, just a sheet of white blanketed over everything. Only his teeth and eyes stood out.

“I’m not too sure who you are, but I can not return the sentiments.” Fiona struggled with her words, her throat harsh from the abrupt awaken. She assumed it was a dosage of adrenaline, the way her veins felt under her skin a dead giveaway.

“Always the jokester I hear, your reputation precedes you.” He sat behind a desk, hands pressed firmly and flat to the surface. “Bryan speaks nothing but good of you, says you’re a noble fighter. My guards are like family, so I listen of course. But he hadn’t an answer for my question, so I’m going right to the source.”

“And what question is that?”

“Why sacrifice your freedom for a freshie such as her?”

Fiona did not glance at Jack as the Warden did; rather she looked to her left, where Bryan stood, eyes trained on the man in charge of him. Bryan had always been her favorite. He was the one she had tried to seduce the knife off of so long ago. He was the one she had clung to when they tried to take her away. He was the one who protected her when need be. But he was still a guard and still governed by the hellish man in front of them.

“You wouldn’t understand.” The words tasted bitter in her mouth, no hint of confusion in them at all, merely the truth.

“No, I suppose not. I wouldn’t sacrifice my one shot for someone I hardly knew let alone someone I did, but none-the-less. We have a reward to discuss.”

“Excuse me?”

“You won the fight Fiona, you are to be set free.”

“I don’t mean to rain on my own parade here but she’s still alive.” Fiona glanced in Jack’s direction, watching as the young woman struggled with her bonds. A bit had been jammed between her lips, a metal bar tucked between her teeth. She was growling around that metal, biting at it as if she could break it with her teeth.

“A minor triviality I’m willing to overlook. I need to get rid of you.” He glanced down at his desk for a moment, as if to collect his thoughts, then his eyes returned to Fiona’s. “You’re a distraction Fiona, and I can’t afford to have someone like you here. Bryan will be escorting you out. You are to never return to this place, as I’m sure you are aware.”

“I wasn’t going to plan any summer vacations if that’s what you mean.”

“If you come back we will kill you. Without question.”

As his words sank in the guards rustled the room, rising from their various locations and grabbing at the two. Bryan stopped the officers from touching Fiona, rather he bent down in front of her himself and unhooked her legs from the chair. With a glimpse of a smile he helped her rise and helped her take those few steps out of the room and away from the warden. They were quickly rushed down the corridor, taken into an elevator and lowered into the ground. When it stopped the elevator doors opened, Jack pushed into the hallway first. She snarled at the guard directing her, pulling away from his hold.

“Tell her to calm down.” Bryan’s hand settled on Fiona’s shoulder as he guided her, fingers digging lightly into her skin with his grip.

“It wouldn’t do any good. You’ve got her suited up like an animal.”

“She bit one of the guards fingers off. We can’t take any chances.” He lead them down a corridor Fiona had never seen before, just solid metal panels on the walls on either side of them. It seemed endless; lights spaced out above to remove any and all shadow.

“This isn’t normal B, why are we being rushed out?” Fiona stopped her walking, watching as Jack and her escort continued down the hall. Bryan lagged just a few paces in front of her, his head down, a hand running through his hair. He looked just as tired and worn as the criminals here, his smoke screen vanishing all too quickly. She had only caught a glimpse of this one other time in their years of knowing one another.

“Because someone is looking for you.” He turned his head up and looked at her, a grimace on his lips. She stepped towards him, chains rattling in the silence. He lifted up the few inches from his slouch as she neared him, his eyes suddenly focusing better. It brought a smile to her face, knowing he would probably never let his guard down around her again. He was a smart man.

“Who is looking for me Bryan, I’m dead to this world.” There were inches between them, the silence all around caking in on them. Fiona felt drowned, her body fighting the unnatural effects of the adrenaline shot they had given her. She would be drowsy in just a few hours.

“We don’t have time for this.” He reached out and settled his hand on her hip, eyes watching his fingers spread out on the flesh. She watched him watch himself. She could see the sorrow in his eyes; see the confusion in his features. With a giant sigh he turned around, and with his hand still on her side he guided her down the hall.

They finally met an end of the hall, taking a sharp right that lead right into a vast and massive room. The space that was provided was divided up evenly to six different ships, each a different style, each serving a different purpose.

“Load up!” Bryan’s voice boomed through the small space and Fiona was taken away from him. She glanced back, watching as he crossed his arms over his chest, a look of worry on his features. The men guiding her inside the ship did so without question, Jack right behind them, the door closing up tightly, leaving Bryan on the outside. Fiona wanted to go back to him, wanted more answers.

“We’ve got a small window if we don’t want to make this trip four days, strap them in so we can get going.”

Fiona was thrown down into a chair. The harness was dropped over the top of her, arms still secure behind her. Her shoulders soon found ache in their position as the guard in charge of her pushed down on the harness to lock it into place.

“Enjoy the ride, Bryan ain’t here to protect you anymore.” His sneer was unforgettable. He reached out for her face and Fiona bit at his hand. He smacked her, sending shooting pain into her head, where the adrenaline shot still sat, her blood pumping rapidly. “Looks like you need a chew toy too.”

A bit was put in her mouth in no time and she was left chained up and dragging. The pain was resurfacing from all of her wounds. She closed her eyes, focusing in on her heartbeat, her brain trying to run a mile a minute. She had to rest though, had to prepare. Whatever was coming was coming quickly. She parted her eyes to glance over at Jack, who was positioned the same as her. Both girls stared into one another’s eyes before closing up tight; resting for the journey ahead.

* * *

“To what do I owe the pleasure of seeing Ashlar’s men today?” The short man behind the desk dressed in all black with a cap and army vest looked up from his four year old newspaper with a small grin.

“We’ve got more victor’s to dispose of.” The guard that had taken on the task of making sure Fiona arrived shoved her forward, dropping her down to her knees with a quick kick to the back of her legs. Jack was dropped down along with her just a second later. “You’ll find them to your liking.”

“Haven’t had a woman from you in a long time. Most certainly to my liking.” He rose from his desk and walked around the front, eyes on Jack. Fiona struggled with her chains, wanting nothing more than to beat him to a bloody pulp. He ignored her altogether as he knelt down in front of the younger of the two, fingers reaching out to brush through her long hair. Jack would have fought back, would have bit him, but the bit was still in, one of Ashlar’s guards behind her holding painfully to her neck.

“You’ll take them?”

“Of course I’ll take them. Ashlar will of course compensate me?”

“You’ll have the creds deposited soon enough.”

The man let go of Jack’s hair, a chuckle sounding in the silence of the room. He turned his eyes to Fiona, a gleam there in his irises. He reached out to brush his fingers down her cheek, feather soft with grim and grease. He seized her chin in his hand so quickly she had not expected it. The bit muffled the cry as he yanked her forward so she was teetering toward him, only staying up because he held her.

“Welcome to Crematoria poppet. We’re going to have some fun.”


	4. Chapter Four

“Take them to processing.” He let her face go, shoving her back so she swayed on her bent knees. Her body was done, each inch of her flesh on fire and wanting more than anything to relax and heal. She couldn’t get oxygen in her lungs well, her grunts and groans ignored as she was yanked up from the floor abruptly.

Kyra stood in front of her now, a line created with three guards and them. They pushed forward, taking a hallway out of the control center on the right. The walls changed from metal mesh to hard warm rock, the air growing thick. Fiona pulled in as much air as she could around the bit, her nose clogged with what she assumed was blood. Kyra’s feet dragged just in front of her as they lagged quietly in the hall, darkness enveloping them.

They stopped only once, a giant mechanical door in front of them. As they stood still the door whirled to life, a giant metal sheet shifting to the side to reveal the rest of the hall.

“Keeps the scum out.” The lead guard glanced back over their faces for a moment, a giant grin plastered on his face. He led them down the winding path that seemed to wrap only to the right. Fiona watched them ahead, glancing out through the breaks in the rock to her right to peer out into the pit that was the prison. She could see faint lights below; see paths just on the other side of the cavern.

The air around them only seemed to grow thicker and it reminded her so much of that planet. The darkness, the sound of dripping, the air. The tension swirled around her as she squinted down the pain, seeing flashes of the beasts in her mind.

Dropping down on a landing with a path that led through a metal gate to the left, they took the two steps down into a small room just on the right. Kyra stumbled down and groaned when she was knocked to her knees just inside the entrance. Fiona dropped down with ease, watching as the girl righted herself and rose, ignoring the chuckles of the guards.

They locked eyes for a moment, both girls bound and hurt. Fiona could see it there, deep inside those chocolate brown eyes, hidden underneath the anguish and the pain; pity. She looked away, snarling around the bit in her mouth.

“Tie her up.” The leader fished through a crate on the far wall, pulling out a rope and tossing it at Kyra’s guard. “I wanna have some fun while that bit is in.” His hands dropped to his belt buckle as he unhooked the metal tongue from the leather hole.

Kyra stood still, eyes watching the meager guard move closer to her. He seemed hesitant, his eyes bouncing from her ankles to her wrists and then to her face. He licked his lips anxiously, hands wring on the rope between his fingers. Pep talk done in his head he finally nodded and approached her.

She moved quickly, and violently.

Kyra kicked back with her entire body, throwing the small man into the larger one. He flailed in the air, connecting with his friend, both of them tripping over the crate.

In the commotion Kyra’s body lost balance, knocking with full force right into Fiona. Both girls toppled to the ground, Fiona a cushion for Kyra’s weight. Her head slammed into the metal ground, her vision filling with stars. The sensation of pain through her body was lost for those few seconds as her brain exploded under the newfound pressure.

Kyra’s weight was lifted and through blurry eyes and a fading mind Fiona watched as the girl fought in cuffs and restraints, sending the other guard into one of the tables.

Then everything went black.

* * *

She could taste the chemical in her mouth. It tasted like copper with a mix of pumpkin, a small acrylic flavor at the end. She hadn’t tasted exotic foods let alone normal foods in a long time, but that’s what pumpkin tasted like in her memory. It blended all over her mouth, leaving what felt like speckles on her inner cheeks, flavor packs waiting for her tongue to course over.

She moaned, her back angry.

“Shut the... uhhh.” His weight lifted and she felt the warmth vanish. She could feel the cold of the metal walls. That was ridiculous, she knew she wasn’t against the walls, wasn’t near the walls, but she swore she could feel the metal making a coat on her skin, latching onto her flesh and creating a casing. “Fuck up.”

His warmth returned and she wanted more than anything to curl up then and die. Every inch of her was failing; she could feel the inside and the outside making a pact to collapse into one another. Her teeth chattered, her eyes opened slowly, a murky haze all she could see.

He was disgusting.

She could now smell the peppermint schnapps on his breath. His shirt was open, a vile collection of dark hairs pressing into her exposed skin. He brought memories up she didn’t want to think about. She could remember the first pain of rape, the first time she had felt a man four times her size inside her. She had cried for days, only to get up and do it all over again.

But she was different now.

She wanted to whip her flesh clean, make sure that every strand from him was gone. And he was heavy. Her body exploded with pain each thrust. He pushed closer to her, deeper. She thought maybe, if he kept it up, that she might rip in half. Her cells were decomposing right in front of him, didn’t he see it?

_Continue getting fucked; it’s what you’re good at._

She wasn’t sure why she had thought of him, let alone that phrase, but it made her angry. Her past seemed so far away, a completely different life she didn’t want to revisit. She shook her head, tears threatening to spill. If he could see her like this, see her in this position, he would be disappointed. She could see the look in his eyes, the glowing orbs as they gazed upon her exposed skin, a small shake of his head as he turned away.

She didn’t want to think of him.

The man on top of her leaned down and brought his body flush to hers. She heard the grunt, smelled the peppermint and then he was kissing her. When his tongue pushed between her lips she bit down.

He screamed. His blood flooded over her face and crawled into her mouth but she didn’t let go. When he pulled she bit harder and with each tug she could hear that he too was ripping away cell by cell. When his weight was gone she opened her eyes to the gore, sitting up as best she could. Spitting out the extra tongue in her mouth she stared down at the man who huddled on the floor, his dick out, eyes horrified as he tried to grab where his tongue once was.

“Shoulda kept the bit in.”

His muffled cries, no words audible through the gurgling blood, did not go unheard. The other two men charged into the room quickly, abruptly ending Fiona’s somewhat comfortable sitting pose. She noted, as they tossed her from the table and to the floor, that her chains had been removed. She tried to scurry away, pushed down all the bile that rose in her throat, legs frail against the cold metal floor. They tugged her back to the ground but she kicked, willing her body to rise.

In seconds she was up and running, the open door beckoning her. Her feet carried her down the path to the left, the bodies slamming into walls behind her as they tried to catch up. And there was her end, just a hundred feet in front, a cliff hanging over a giant pit. She could hear the howls behind her, feel the blood pooling in her mouth; but it wasn’t her blood, it wasn’t her pain.

Each leg pumped its last pump as she threw herself over the edge and grabbed the chain that dangled in the very center of the room.

“Release the hounds!”

Her hands wrapped around the chain links with fury, her weight forcing a swing. She eyed up the space around her, looking for a ledge to climb onto, a path to get her as far away from them as possible. The men reached out when she swung towards them and with haste she let herself slide down, a cry echoing out in the pit as she scrapped skin off of her palms.

Sirens blared and she spotted a ledge in the wall. With ease she rocked back and forth, building up the momentum. With each swing she kept her eyes drilled on the ledge, forgoing the chaos that riveted around her. She ignored the cries, the screams, and the new noise that broke through the silence. When she heard the snarl and felt the heat near her she released from the chain and went soaring towards the wall.

Fiona scampered up, collapsing quickly, pulling her limbs in as close as she could. She watched out of the corner of her eye as the dark shadow that had been just behind her lunged and fell down below. It yelped from pain, an emaciated yelp following after.

She closed her eyes, counting out the seconds as her body shook. She could breathe, she could coat her lungs with the fog filled air deep inside the prison. Her eyes snapped open as she looked to the left, watching an animal on four legs haul ass along the path just across the pit. It stopped only for a second, crouching low, and then it lunged, connecting with the running body of a young man.

Fiona closed her eyes as he screamed.

She saw claws, shadows dancing in darkness, the flickering of a candle. No comfort in a place like this she focused rather on her pain. Starting with the wounds on her toes she focused her energy to only feel and pay attention to the afflictions on her body. Counting them out she surveyed the injuries, contemplating on what she could fix now and what could wait for later. It could wait; all of it could wait.

_I'll have to kill him you know, after he's done this to you._

She wondered, in that moment of what could be categorized as bliss compared to the rest of her life, if Riddick would try to kill those guards too if he caught wind of what they had done. The thought was foolish, as she was dead to the world and most certainly him, but it still sat there in her mind. At one point in time she had been certain that he would do anything for her, how foolish of a thought that was. Years with him and one fitful night on that planet opened up her eyes so quickly.

She let herself cry for a moment as the world around her grew still.

The screams finally died down. She could hear the clicking of nails just below and then there was silence.

She mustered up the strength to peer down. The pit was shrouded with steam and smoke, a molten glow coming up faintly from below it all. Just below her was a ledge, a metal railing jutting out from being broken. If she could swing down and grab it she could hoist herself up on the walk path and find a cell to huddle in. With a deep sigh she tipped over the edge and grabbed ahold of the railing, swinging her body just right, her feet catching her weight.

Her body swayed. There wasn’t enough energy in the world for this life.

“Wrong territory girly.”

She swiveled to spot the ginger, a little bit taller than her. He eyed her up from head to toe, a small grin on his face. She didn’t hesitate as she threw her weight into him and slammed him to the ground. They slid forward and she used the momentum to hold his head over the edge of the pit.

“Hey now, I mean no harm.”

“Shut the fuck up.” She ground out the words, the guards blood dripping out of her mouth and onto the dirt caked face of the man below her. She pressed her forearm into his throat and pushed in hard on his windpipe, cutting his air off.

“Fair enough. But I can help.” His voice was staggered, eyes lolling up as he reached up and tried to pry her arm off his throat. She watched him whither, watched the air sink out of him slowly, his face going pale, as his strength seemed to vanish. Then she let up and he sucked in every last drop the world had to offer him. “Good on you. The names Guv.”

“How are you going to help me?”

“Medical attention of course.”

She pondered it for a second, before rising and waiting for him to get up from off his back. If he wanted to take her now, he could. Every inch of her energy was gone. She could feel her feet giving out, her legs wobbling underneath the weight. He reached out and she took his arm for support as he led her down the hall.

“Two newbies who fall from the sky in one day; what a treat.”

“Just another day in paradise.”

They continued on in silence as he helped her hobble into a cell a few doors down from where she had dropped. Inside were two cots, one of them pushed up against the back wall and shrouded by shadows. Fiona was grateful when he led her there, offering her some privacy as he took a bucket out of the cell with him.

She sank into the mattress and rested. When he returned her eyes peeled open, a bucket full of water in front of her.

“Change of close from my last guest just there, he won’t be missing them. Clean up and rest. No one will bother you in here.”

She didn’t know how to be grateful. So as the man walked out and left her alone she only nodded, her eyes trying to sink into sleep. But she couldn’t do that; not yet. With grumbles she sat up straight and with great pain lifted her shirt up from her flesh and pulled it off. She dunked her shirt into the bucket of water, using the wet fabric to whip the blood off of her skin. Her arms, her chest, her face, she tried to make it feel as clean as possible. It was painful and tedious but when she was as clean as a place like this allowed she fetched the t-shirt and sweater left at the end of the bed.

Skin covered, a bucket full of blood water on the ground, Fiona sank back on the mattress and closed her eyes. The pain followed her into her dreams as she saw visions of claws and slimy skin, darkness all around her; _helpless_.


	5. Chapter Five

Fiona felt the bed shake and her eyes flew open.

She had heard, from rumors that gamboled around bars and brothels, that Crematoria sat on a planet that shifted when it revolved. Each rotation sent the planet into a jolt, the plates underground shifting and deteriorating. They would collapse in on the prisoners, cause cave-ins and new cells. No one alive had left the prison though so she didn’t think much of the rumors.

She felt the quake in the wall by her side, the shutter of air as the pit rattled.

“You’re awake.”

Fiona had felt him sitting there, watching her sleep. His eyes were fixed on her as he fiddled with a small ring on his left hand. She bowed her head to him now, watching his small grin grow as she sat up slowly. Fiona’s face scrunched up in anticipation, preparing for the wave of grinds and tremors that were sure to come.

She felt no pain.

Each muscle she had gave a little tug, but there was no pain. Her skin felt no different, the cuts and bruises no longer making artwork on her flesh. She had no scars, no lacerations of any kind, nothing.

“The healing waters of this planet are a little secret kept only in this prison.”

“Not that anyone leaves.” Fiona rose from the bed, stretching out her legs and arms. She popped joints, reacquainted herself with ligaments, and mainly focused on the beauty that was her health. She hadn’t felt this complete in a very long time.

“The beauty of immortality I suppose.” His voice was weightless, his attention focused somewhere else. She turned to him, hands on her hips, eyes drinking in her new found savior. He was lost in his own little world, she had seen this look on many a man and woman in her days. Grief and sorrow lapped over all of his features, a mask of confusion wedged in-between, his mind not comprehending exactly what he wanted to find out. Lost.

“Whats got you thinking, Guv?” She reached down and scooped up the hoodie he had left her, tying the arms around her waist for safekeeping. He stressed over the ring in his hands, eyes perplexed as he stared holes into the ground below.

“The sky dropper’s talking about escape. Got me thinking.” He chuckled, sliding the ring back onto his finger and bringing it up to shine in the light. She wouldn’t ask him, and she figured he didn’t want her to. There was a gleam in his eyes now.

“Kyra thinks she knows a way out. How advantageous.”

“Don’t think we’re talking about the same person, love.” He rose from his stool, tucking the ring back into his right pocket, patting the outside before crossing his arms over his chest. “Last time I checked a man of that size did not go by Kyra.”

Fiona furrowed her brows, running fingers through her hair and pulling it up and back. She held it altogether with a ratted used piece of shirt she had rolled up and tied into a loop. “Care to show me around?”

“Of course love. The grand tour it is.” He bowed before her, showing her the way to the exit of the cell. She stepped out, looking across the expansive gap at the paths across. She could see people now, bodies walking along, talking, and working. They dug out holes, piled up rocks to create barricades, worked on locks and gates to make them more secure. The Guv stepped out and looped his arm around hers, giving her a small tug to direct her to the left.

“Welcome to the end of all ends my love. This here is your last stop, as the majority of us see it. You’ll find that everyone above ground level is pretty mundane. We’re simple folk you see, the only thing different between us and civilization of course would be the records.”

They wrapped down along the path, following the circle drop that led towards the bottom. When they moved closer to the edge Fiona took a moment to look down, counting out at least fifteen if not more layers till the bottom. She couldn’t see past the fog that layered thickly on the ground.

“You’re welcome to stay with me of course, I’m always in need of company. But if you wish you can pick a nice little cell on any level and settle in. We receive food in quantity on the ground level every week, and typically have to fight for the rationings. The grounders though have been taken down a peg or two since that brute has arrived.”

Fiona kept silent, taking in the sight of the otherworldly place. They pushed past people from time to time, women and men, all of their eyes stuck to the ground as they kept to themselves.

“Ahh yes, the chambers of the unruly king who’s going to spring us from this joint.”

“You sound jealous Guv, who do we h...” Kyra’s voice slowed, her eyes locking onto Fiona with uncertainty. The silence drawled between them as the Guv looked between them, bouncing eyes back and forth as neither explained. The younger of the two dropped her hands from the top of the cell, crossing her arms awkwardly over her chest. This meeting should be anything but tense but Fiona could feel the hint that she was suddenly unwelcome.

“How long was I up there, Kyra?” Fiona dropped her arm from The Guv’s hold and moved closer to the girl. Kyra tried to stand taller, tried to look bigger but Fiona held no fear, moving in to provide only a few inches between the two. She wouldn’t stand down to the little kid she had known so long ago, let alone be simply dismissed as she was now.

“A long time.”

“Care to give it to me in minutes, days, months?” Her words spat out angrily, Kyra’s eyes bouncing to behind the two of them for a second before centering back on Fiona’s stare.

“Two.” Kyra bit at her words, taking her eyes away from Fiona once again.

“Generous.”

“Months.” Kyra swallowed, the truth sinking down into her stomach, the lies caking down there, greedily making her heavier. “Two months.”

Fiona took a step back, putting distance between herself and the two who now stared hard at her. They seemed to already know what happened, their eyes filling with a sorrow she didn’t want to see. She sought answers in the ground below, trying to pull some kind of explanation that could make this better out of the cracks and crevices. She didn’t want to know she had been a sex toy for two months now; she didn’t want to know that she had allowed herself to be knocked out and used. She didn’t want to know that Kyra had left her up there to rot. It made her angry, her blood boiling in her veins as she stewed over all of this realization.

She finally brought her eyes back up to the young girl, no longer seeing glimpses of that child but just anger. Her fists balled and when she moved forward a hand snapped out and grabbed her wrist, holding her in place.

“I was going to tell you.” Kyra’s voice was a whisper, her hurt eyes staring just behind Fiona’s shoulder. “I swear I was going to-“ Her words cut off almost instantly, the anguish evident in her face. She looked like the child she had been years ago, lost on that planet, looking for comfort in anyone as she watched her makeshift guardian be ripped in half.

He placed his other hand on Fiona’s waist, warm fingers pressing into her side. She had thought she would never feel the warmth that came with him ever again. With a light tug he had her back against him. Like fire, his heat enveloped her, reaching down to her toes and coursing up her neck. She held the air in her lungs as Kyra sank into herself and turned her back, retreating into the cell. There was an unmarked pain in the young girls face that could only be described as jealousy. The Guv followed behind her, sending a lingering look over his shoulder at Fiona before dipping into the same darkness.

Riddick released her wrist and placed his other hand on her waist and when he pushed slightly she knew he was turning her around. She slammed her eyes shut, not wanting to see what was there, what was in front of her. She didn’t want to be in this feeling anymore, she didn’t want to have this high only to crash and burn once again when the next tragedy came around. She had spent the better years of her life running with this man, trying to find herself, only to finally meet the animal inside herself in the dark; alone.

“Look at me.” He sounded no different, his voice the one she had hoped to hear every single day in the last five years.

Fiona released the air in her lungs, ragged breath coursing out of her lips. “I can’t.”

He pulled her those inches closer, her waist hitting his abdomen, his arms encircling her completely. She was cradled there, in his warmth in his flesh and blood. She leaned into him, pressing her forehead to his chest, paying attention only to his hands as they crept up her back and spread out over her frame. She placed her own on his chest, marveling at the feel of him under her hands. She could remember nights long past, when she would wake up in his arms, sleep caught up inside his senses, her body pressed into him. Those rare moments when even he felt safe for the night; safe enough to sleep away a few hours before rising the next day to fight the world some more.

“Here we are, finding ourselves in a battle for life.” He ran his hands down her back, stopping at her waist, fingers slipping under the fabric of her borrowed shirt to touch her skin. She released a moan, gripping at his shirt and pulling herself closer to him. She wouldn’t lie to herself, she had dreamt of this in those days when she was locked up in the darkness, beasts on either side wanting to feast on her flesh. She had thought of his touch, his eyes, his kiss when she was battling for her life in the rounds at The Core. She had dreamt of him for days on end; but it wasn’t supposed to come true, none of this was supposed to be real. “I missed you.”

“Not enough to come find me.” Her words were bitter, their truth filling in the voided tension.

“Don’t.”

She leaned back, looking up at him. His goggles blocked her view; their black sheen negated anything of him, only a reflection of herself staring back. She reached out, fingers tipping over his smooth skin before grabbing at the lenses and lifting them up, placing them just above on his forehead. Nothing of him had changed, and she reveled in those eyes as they stared at her as they always did, an unforeseen tenderness deep inside.

“I was alone, Riddick. Trapped there in the dark. Then someone came looking for me. Plopped me down in a state of the art prison. I’ve been fighting for my meals everyday since. Seems like the only good reason I met you.” The words tasted bitter in her mouth, and she watched his facial features change, his eyes sinking lower as he thought of her words. She wouldn’t apologize for it, no matter how much her inner demons pleaded with her to make it right. She wouldn’t apologize for the truth.

“I find that hard to believe.”

“Yeah? What other good came from knowing you?” She spat the words out angrily, fists balling up his shirt, eyes glaring into his.

His hands tightened on her back and before she could register they slid down her body quickly, cupping her on her upper thighs and picking her up. She instinctly wrapped her legs around his waist, arms circling his neck as her nose bumped his. The rush made her head spin, the lack of drinking water and food evident in her stature. Riddick stood still for a moment, staring up at her as his fingers slid over the fabric that was tight on her thighs. Then he carried her away, heading down the pathway just a ways into a different cell. His eyes never left hers as they stepped into the newfound darkness and sank down onto a cot in the corner. He wouldn’t let her up, his hands running over the length of her, reaching up finally to pull out the length of her hair so he could burry his fingers.

Then all she could do was taste him.

Her eyes slammed shut as he pressed his mouth to hers and pulled her flush to him. Each second felt like a lifetime, each gasp, moan, groan a reminder that they were still alive in the present. They separated for a second to relieve her of her shirt, the muggy air of the cell leaving a sheen of sweat on her skin. Riddick laid her back, kissing every inch of her, tasting every ounce of her skin that he could.

It was all too much, each touch, each kiss, each thrust; her body shook with each shutter each second. She couldn’t be close enough, couldn’t feel him enough, she wanted more and more and more. It wasn’t enough but she would take it, her senses lost, the world lost, the danger looming just outside a mere memory that was held in the past.

* * *

_Click... click... click…_

Fiona threw herself out of sleep when the beast lunged. Her eyes blurry from sleep, tried to make senses of her surroundings as warmth wrapped around her and tugged her back. She struggled, tears welling up in her eyes. She couldn’t feel much of anything but the need to run away from the animals in her dreams, away from their pain and death.

“Shhhh...” He placed light kisses on her skin and she suddenly remembered where she was. A calm washed over her, an understanding, as Riddick’s arms became the warmth that was holding her, not her nightmares. She looked up, Riddick there beside her, his pants hastily pulled on, fly undone, no shirt no shoes. She raised a brow at him, looking down at herself to see that she was in nothing. When she blushed he growled, pulling her closer to him and lying them back down on the bed.

“Nightmares huh?”

“A year alone on that planet will do that to you.” She wouldn’t talk about the nights in The Core. She wouldn’t tell him about the guards, about the places and the things she had seen there. She wouldn’t tell him about Brian, wouldn’t try to explain how she had only survived because of her enemy. He would understand, that she knew, but he wouldn’t hold the remorse that she did.

“I won’t leave you again.” A simple statement followed up with a kiss on the side of her neck she didn’t want to think fully on what that meant. This was a different Riddick, a different relationship. It had all started on that horrible planet and she hadn’t had the time to explore with him this devotion that was no longer one sided. It made her happy, made her blissful, but there was still dread there on the edge. She didn’t want to be the liability that got in his way and ruined everything.

“So we’re escaping are we?”

Her simple question brought a chuckle deep inside him out. She pressed closer, enjoying the rumble that rolled through his body. His muscles had uncoiled, he was relaxed. This human side of him was something she only saw when he was in sleep and it was marvelous this close up with him awake.

“I had a mild distraction in the way, had to follow up with a promise I made a long time ago.” He nibbled at her neck, pressing soft kisses on her flesh, leaving marks she would not be ashamed of showing off. “But yes. Tonight, in fact.”

She shivered.

“You still good at running?” He pulled back to run a finger down her front, sliding down between her breasts, dropping down to make circles around her navel. She watched him watch his finger as it dipped lower, lower yet. She felt the curl in her stomach, felt the pleasure build back up as his eyes shot up to her face to watch the pleasure he was giving her take over her face. Then he stopped and she was frustrated. She pushed her hips up towards his fingers that had slipped out and he grinned.

_“Maybe later huh?”_

_“Maybe later.”_


	6. Chapter Six

Fiona watched as the slime ball that had picked her up so many years ago dropped down on the rope in the middle of the room. Gun shots, screaming, yelling, they had all grown quiet in the pits of the prison as the commotion made its way down to their world. The whispers of escape had been leaking through the walls for hours now, Fiona hearing the murmurs of doubt, of uncertainty. But they were there, and that meant that they at least believed.

Riddick stood beside her, his goggles back in place, clothes back on. She shifted her stare from the curly head fuck to the man she had been naked under not just a few hours ago. She could feel knots in her stomach, a sensation that she could only label as pride. He didn’t look her way, whether he felt her eyes or not, his body lunged forward as he jumped through the air. There was a grace in every step he took, she had seen it time and time again when they jumped from roof to roof back in the day. It felt like a lifetime ago that she had been in this situation with him. It was all repeating. Run, survive, and repeat.

She scowled.

“He’ll just leave you again.” Kyra’s voice was soft, just as sudden as her appearance. The young girl stepped up from behind, filling in Riddick’s old spot, her eyes watching as their shared savior swayed back and forth, mumbling something to the man he latched on to. Fiona kept quiet, watching as Riddick used Tombs as a staircase, scaling up the rope with precision. “All those years without you, all those years without him. You’re different now.”

“Why do you think your opinion matters?” Fiona leaned her head back and to the side so she could stare at the young woman who was slowly pulling her long curly hair up. There was a sad smile on her face, her fingers digging through knots, her eyes eventually looking in Fiona’s direction. It wasn’t pity; she knew pity when she saw it. It was something else all together in her eyes and it bothered her to no end.

“Because no matter how hard you try to convince yourself that you’re good enough you’ll never be.” Kyra dropped her arms and shifted her body so she was facing Fiona, taking that step closer to fill in the gap. They stared one another down. “Riddick isn’t human. He’s better than us in all ways, and eventually you’re not going to be able to keep up.” Kyra reached out and placed a hand on the older girls bicep, giving it a soft squeeze. “Now come on, we don’t want to miss the train.”

Fiona had no words. She shifted her weight and quickly followed Kyra up the path, her eyes trained on the swaying ponytail of the girl in front of her. Her confidence level was dwindling, Kyra’s words having more of an impact on her than she would like to admit. They swirled around inside her head but she chose to push them down, at least she tried. She had to run, had to survive, had to come out of this on top, and right now doubt couldn’t play a factor. But it was still there, hiding in the corners in the back of her mind, festering.

They tripped over body limbs and pushed past strangers as they made their way to the top. The locked barricade just up ahead was open; the guard post just a few yards down the tunnel.

“Check their slots in the back...” The mumbled voices became clear as Fiona and Kyra stepped into the control room. Two of the hanging lights had been shot down, bodies flung all over the room. The dim lighting was perfect for the situation, the beacon for distress trying to call out over and over and over with no success. The Guv wasted no time reaching out and turning off the alarm system.

“Don’t bother.” Riddick stepped up behind them, his booming voice grabbing all attention as he made his way around the growing group and moved towards the control panel. “Guards ain’t there. They figured out the Necros are comin’ for me. Plan was to clean the bank, ghost the mercs, break wide through the tunnel.”

Everyone stayed quiet as they watched Riddick circle them, his eyes trained on the panel The Guv was standing in front. Fiona watched as the faces of the people shifted, from delight, to uncertainty, to pain, to realization. Rations would no longer be a thing, supplies would no longer exist. Sure they wouldn’t have guards, but the planet was an end all, and they would all die quickly if they stuck around. So their faces shifted one last time, eyes looking to Riddick as if he were a saving grace. They all turned and watched as he surveyed the panel, and Fiona felt the remembrance of a memory surfacing as she felt Kyra’s words slip from their hold in the back of her head.

She huffed, her annoyance evident. Leaning back against the wall, crossing her arms over her chest, Kyra glanced back at her, a raised brow in question. “Somebody got a lucky shot off though, with a fucking rocket launcher I suppose. Took out the sled.” Fiona pointed out the security footage on the screen up above, shaking her head. It depicted the opposite side of the outtake door, the lights shot down, the faint glow of one of them showing the broken sled with bent rails. “Fuckwads took off on foot and locked us in I bet.”

The younger girl nodded, watching as Riddick pushed up on the joysticks. The whole room shook, the ground sliding past the windows as they rose up. There was only one ship left, only one hanger on the entire planet. Everyone knew that. Their fear started to grow as the landscape slid into view. _He’ll force them to survive like he did you. Then leave them._ Fiona sighed, stepping to one of the windows to partake in her next adventure. Points, jumps, leaps, rocks, pain. The world in front of them was an unbelievable obstacle course.

“It’ll light you up like a match.” The Guv was beside her then, his hands buried in his ginger curls, his eyes rocking left and right over the world outside. She gave him a moment’s look before nodding her head and turning her back on the landscape. She wiggled through the bodies, heading into the back where the lockers sat.

The voices rose as they argued but she ignored them. She scanned over the contents of the lockers, picking up the boots that sat tucked at the bottom of one. Quickly she changed out her beaten and worn ones for the new, pulling on an extra pair of socks for cushion. She scavenged the rest of the lockers, picking up a knife and a cantina, taking a quick swig of the water and draining the rest of the contents.

“You think they can do this?” Kyra took a seat on the bench, watching Fiona tuck her pants down inside the boots, lacing them up tightly.

“Nope.”

“If you can’t keep up, don’t step up. You’ll just die.” Riddick’s parting words were generous, a better offer of encouragement than he had ever given before. Fiona didn’t look up when he moved towards them. He leaned over her and grabbed from the locker the jacket she knew he would take. Kyra watched him intently as he pulled it on but Fiona focused on the laces, double tying them like he had taught her so long again. When she was done she rose, hands gracing over her belt to make sure it was tight.

There were no spoken words between the three. Riddick hesitated in front of everyone, eyes lingering on Fiona before he reached down and pulled her hood up to cover her hair. She didn’t make eye contact with him, just brushed her thumb over the back of his hands before making her way towards the outdoor exit, Kyra hot on her heels.

_He’ll just leave you, he’ll just leave you, he’ll just leave you..._

The words chanted over and over in her head as she took off running. Riddick had pointed out with a simple nod the direction and had started with the lead, but she wasn’t going to let him take control over her life. She pushed past him with ease, scaling up the cliffs before him, jumping down, rolling, dodging. She pushed herself harder than she could remember and it was freeing.

The hood was plastered to her forehead, ash drifting down from the sky all around her. The jacket The Guv had lent her was covered in the white powder. She took a moment to catch her breath, glancing back to see Riddick waiting, his eyes on something behind them. _You’re different now._

That she was. Fiona picked herself up from her crouch and kept moving. The old Fiona would have waited, the old Fiona would have been right by his side, never over stepping herself; never being faster than Riddick. But she wasn’t that Fiona anymore.

The terrain sloped down and she could see the giant wall in front of her. The sun would hit it in no time and going around was not an option. Her feet carried her down into the pit before the rise and the gunshot rattled her step; she slipped.

She tumbled down into the jagged edges, her arm hitting a point. She felt the pain before she could see it but it didn’t stop the adrenaline that pulled her forward. Her foot shook on the molten ground, her eyes scanning the area for the person that was shooting. As the man in the hole in the ground swiveled his gun and finally caught sight of her again she caught sight of him. She rose, running towards him, jumping over his attempts at shooting her, using her momentum to lift her up and away.

He couldn’t stay focused the ashes building up around his face. When she was there it was too late. She slid in and kicked him square in the face, hearing the horrible screams as he dropped down into the hole. Hurried bodies screamed frantically down below and Fiona caught sight of the other guards pushing themselves away from the tunnel entrance.

She glanced back, not seeing the big man that had forced all those convicts outside to run. She couldn’t hear him, couldn’t feel him. Her doubt crept in, Kyra’s words coursed through her mind and she bit at her lip, deciding in that moment that the new Fiona couldn’t give up a shot like this.

The latch started to drop and she quickly slid in, taking the ladder into the tunnel below. The guards had pushed ahead, their voices carrying down behind them. Fiona quietly followed, keeping a safe distance as they shouted about needing to get there quickly. When their voices died down and a giant metal squall shook the walls she sped up, dropping around the corner as the last guard slipped through the door into the hanger. He didn’t close it.

“Load up! Get the hatch open! The sun should be rising.” Fiona wiggled through the opening, dropping behind a crate as she watched the three men frantically load up the ship, not minding what was important and what wasn’t. They were frazzled, frightened. As the hanger door slid open they all turned towards the rising sun, squinting away the bright light, shielding eyes.

They weren’t bullets. She had never seen a gun like that, but she knew they weren’t bullets. Bright blue lights flashed forward and knocked the three men down. Their bodies crumbled in their ruin, giant holes burnt through them where they were shot. The armored man with the gun stepped into the hold, eyes bouncing from left to right to spot out any other lurking forms.

“He’s not here.” That voice sounded familiar. Fiona furrowed her brows, fingers clutching onto the crate as she tried to get a better look. The man had a helmet on, his eyes and face shrouded by the intricate metal bracing over front. He swiveled, eyes bouncing around the space and she didn’t move fast enough. The air caught in her lungs when the nozzle of his gun was pointed at her. He took slow steps closer and she gulped, lifting her hands from the crate, rising up slowly.

“He will be shortly.”

Then the unknown man charged. He moved quickly, efficiently. His feet carried him to her and she was down on the ground, clutching at her head as pain sored through her body. She had almost forgotten what this felt like, almost forgotten the ache that had been with her day in and day out.

“Take her on the pull out ship and go. Send back for me.”

The quiet man who had hit her nodded, scooping her up and tossing her over his shoulder. He stepped out into the low rising sun and moved up the heavy terrain towards a space craft just on the other side of the hanger. She wasn’t all there, her mind fuzzy. She could feel the shift in his walk, and then she was dropped down onto something soft. Her arm pleaded with her, the cut from earlier coming back to remind her of its existence.

Her captor stepped back, eyes behind that metal no doubt watching her. She sat up, clutching her head where he had hit her, eyes bouncing around the small barren room. When the man crouched down in front of her she stiffened, sliding back on the bed to put distance between them. He sank low to the ground and placed his weapon on the marble floor. His hands reached up and she watched as he pulled the helmet that shrouded him way from his face.

“Bryan?” Her voice was raspy, her eyes playing tricks she was sure. The man in front of her smiled from ear to ear. He leaned in and she was aware of the hug he was giving her. The cold metal pushed up against her and she groaned, pushing him back away from her wounds.

“Sorry. I’m not used to this suit.”

“No I suppose not.” Fiona was frazzled, her fingers shaky as she tried to thread them through her hair as a nervous tick. “Why are you here?”

“That’s a long story.”


	7. Chapter Seven

After Fiona has refused medical treatment until she knew what was happening Bryan had tied her up and escorted her out into the halls. They wound their way through the bowels of the ship, passing military, men who didn’t question the prisoner in his hands. He stayed silent behind her, his hold strong but not threatening. His hands guided her diligently and she was oddly reminded of the years they had spent being friends in secret. It all felt like a lifetime ago though, and she sighed, eyeing up the men that walked past them, desperately trying to understand what was happening.

Fiona found herself worried, the metal of their suits jagged and thick. She hadn’t needed more than a look let alone the hug from Bryan to know that the metal was too strong to be broken. Every last single military man that moved past them was large, muscular, built to hold the weight of their armor.

She couldn’t fight her way out of this one.

They turned down their last corridor and Bryan spoke to the guard posted outside the tunnel, the mans eyes leering in her direction as he thought about what had been said.

“She doesn’t look like one.”

“I’m just doing what was ordered. Do you want me to head back to the Lord Marshal and verify instruction?” Just the mention of their leaders name had the unknown guard shaking his head vigorously before side stepping and giving them room to enter.

Fiona was pushed forward, the tunnel absent of any light. They moved through complete and utter darkness for what felt like eternity. She could feel a small blow of air on her face, her hair brushing over her cheeks as it fell loose from the knot at the back. Brian kept silent; the only noise that remained constant was the clank of his metal boots on the ground, his arm grinding at the joints when he shuffled forward. The air pushing past Fiona grew stronger and stronger with each step and when it became a steady gust, hair tossing around and lifting up, a light became visible just at the edge.

Her last step was from night to day. She moved forward and suddenly all that there was was light. She squinted away from the darkness, her body recoiling. Bryan held her upright with a firm hard metal hand on her waist. He released her to untie the bounds on her hands; and she was free. Moving away from him quickly, Fiona turned abruptly and watched as he once again removed his helmet.

“I figured you would know by now he’s not going to hurt you.” The voice echoed around her head and she had to look to Bryan to see if he too had heard it. The words seemed to slip in and out of her head, so soft on her brain she felt like putty.

“Who was that?”

“Just me.” Her voice was so close. Fiona spun, moving closer to Bryan, figuring he was the lesser of two evils right now. The woman’s figure dropped down in front of her out of thin air, her robes all around her billowing in the soft air that gusted throughout. She was transparent, the white walls and white ceilings giving her a glow. Fiona was mesmerized, watching the edges of the woman flicker to and fro with each gust, each pull of the wind around them.

“Who are you?”

“Aereon.”

“And why am I here, Aereon?”

“That is in fact, a very well placed question.” The woman smiled, moving closer to Fiona who in turn moved further away. The solid of the two took note of Bryan’s hand as it returned to her waist, his attempt at comfort not going unnoticed. She stepped away from him once again, putting distance between her body and his touch. “I am an Elemental, an Air Elemental to be exact. My powers are very limited on this planet my child, you have no need to fear me.”

“That’s what they all say and then they slice and dice you up for dinner.”

“We Elemental’s are rarely hungry.”

“What can I do for you?” Fiona crossed her arms, sizing up the woman, eyes bouncing to Bryan who had taken to leaning back against one of the great white walls. He was slowly dismantling the suit on his body, taking the arm pieces off, removing gloves. Fiona’s eyes watched as he pulled away the chest plate and sat it down on the ground, revealing thick black long sleeved attire. She could see the tip of the scar she had given him so long again, just near his throat. “I’m not in the business of breathing too heavily everyday, so you’ll forgive me if you’re looking for a life line.”

“I don’t need constant airflow, he uses the wind to subdue me. When in the presence of oxygen I am completely solid, however, space lacks the ingredient to my survival. The tunnel you passed through is linked to the key element in all black holes. I can’t pass through it, at least not without guidance. The wind is a constant reminder to the lack of solidity here. It keeps me drained.” Her smile was weak, her eyes bouncing around the room. Her steps seemed to glide over the ground, her feet carrying her away from Fiona. “You are much stronger than I remember.”

“Must be confused lady, too much air in here. Oxygen packs a nice little high.”

“You’re just unaware. But that is fine, we knew from the start that you would be resistant.”

Silence. Fiona uncrossed her arms and shook her head. A small chuckle came from her as she reached back and let her hair down. The eyes in the room watched as she pulled the strands up and retied them out of the way. Her eyes smiled, her face smiled, her body shook. The aggravation on her arm was on fire, the cut from the rocks on Crematoria all done bleeding, but still held jagged gross edges. She wished, just a little part of her did, that she was back in that prison so she could take a bath in the eternal life that was offered.

“I’m not looking for whatever it is you’re offering lady.”

“No, you’re looking for him.” Aereon moved forward, creating a smaller gap between her and Fiona. “Which I find comical, since you left him there on that planet. He is not the saving grace. Not yet. You’re not ready for that step. In the middle of all this blur you missed a few crucial stops.” Aereon sighed, swiveling around to put her back to them. Fiona did not hesitate, the knife she had on her belt pulled and tossed. The ghost of a woman seemed to know it was coming though, her figure dissolving just enough for the tip to pass through. “You’ll have to try harder next time. I’m different as you know.”

“In the end lady, we all bleed the same.”

* * *

He enjoyed the fear in her face when he brushed past her. She didn’t register it at first, her proud and confident features watching all the guards ascend away from the world below. She held her head high, an invisible badge of control on her chest. She was no one; that much he knew, but she at least thought she was.

When she registered him, saw through all the metal and duplicates it brought a smile to his face. He could have very well of hidden his eyes, but this was more enjoyable. And a little bit of fear was always good. She wouldn’t tell the Lord Marshal, her need to be queen was too great.

Her fear was the stench he walked away with, the smell wafting up from the emotionless society. No one here felt fear and he prided his ability to make it quake in that inbreed woman who turned so painfully to second-guess herself.

* * *

“I haven’t much time. Things have been set into motion and I need you to listen.” Aereon flitted back, Bryan now by her side. “You are destined for something much greater. In my world there are four main elements. Earth, wind, fire, and water. We coexist in a balanced society and preach to the world to do so as well. On a grander scale, at the top of the chain, where the mortals do not understand, there are two main focused elements that govern our society. The light and the dark.” Aereon turned to Bryan, a small smile on her features. “Bryan was the original light in our society. He has been away for so long, developed more of a human side than others, and took the sacrifice to find you.”

“You think I’m an elemental?”

“I do. But it’s not an easy path to come by. To be a proper elemental you had to have been raised on your planet, with your people. Sadly your mother did not see it that way.”

“Look lady I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”

“The child of darkness shall be raised in the evil that the world provides. She shall overcome the trials and tribulations, rise up and encompass the world around her to take on a new order. A new kind of evil.” Aereon chuckled softly, looking to Bryan once again, both women watching as the man stepped forward. He looked down at Fiona, a soft smile there on his features. His hand reached out, soft and light, he slid his fingers down along the side of her face.

Fiona held the air in her lungs as she watched his eyes dance over her face.

“I have been searching for you for years, and when that merc dropped you at the prison I knew. You tried to seduce from me my knife and it took all of me to take action the correct way. But you had to learn to protect yourself, had to learn to come into your own with struggle.”

“What a wonderful present.” She pushed his hand away, sighing deeply as she took a step back. “As much as I love family reunions I think this is over. Too much nut for my taste.”

“Fiona my child, you must understand.” Aereon pushed in closer to her and she did not move away. The woman carried with her the smell of air, the smell of the world. “Destiny has brought you to us, and we can’t let you go. We need you to take the next step.”

Bryan pushed in and grabbed her arm, pulling her towards him. She tried to struggle but his strength had always been too much for her. He used the rope from earlier to tie her up once again. He gave her the softest of regretful smiles.

“And what’s the next step?”

“Purification. Darkness, in its deepest fashion. Through the acceptance of darkness you shall rise.”

* * *

Riddick brushed the invisible strands of hair away from her face. She was so pale. Her lips a deeper shade of gray than her skin, her eyes had closed ages ago. The bodies in the room still stood, still soaking in the death of their Lord Marshal. He didn’t pay them attention, his focus on the dead child in his hands, her womanly features disappearing in front of his eyes. He knew she wasn’t changing, not for real, not for everyone else, but all he could see before him was the body of a dead bald child, handmade goggles pressed to her forehead.

_You keep what you kill._

The voice in his head pulled him away from the dead body of Kyra. He rose from the ground, moving towards the chair at the front. His body slouched down as he dropped his face into his hands. _Getting too old for this._

He chuckled to himself, looking up at the faces that had all turned towards him now. Their eyes waited patiently, and as if someone had whispered a command, or hit a button, they all sank down into a bow, a row at a time. Their bodies dipped to the floor and Riddick watched as Vakko fought the desire to fight, fought what he had thought was going to be the outcome. His woman beside him, she tugged and toppled down, bowing before their new Lord Marshall.

* * *

“Please Bryan.” Her pleading words shook him, she could see it. His eyes glazed over as he took her in, watching the machine latch on. The point entered in the back of her neck, drilling a whole deep inside. Her face screwed up in pain, the noises coming from her now too much.

He had to turn away, move to the other side of the room as Fiona screamed for him. The noise that crawled out of her chest was beastly. She tried to release herself, the pain even more as she fought. Each tug, each pull, the noises grew in magnitude as she yelled not only at the world but also for him. She yelled for him to release her, to stop it, to stop the pain.

Then she was silent.

He turned around so he was facing her once more, stepping closer yet as her body hung there lifeless. Aereon had told him it would only take seconds. She would revise from the incurable death of humanity and rise as the child she was supposed to be. She would come back to him, not human anymore but something else. She would be there, and he wouldn’t feel the shame he did anymore.

Her eyelids twitched.

He reached out, touching her arm lightly, the machine whirling suddenly. He pulled back, watching as the latches released her. Her body crumbled to the floor, her skin growing paler each second. She was so light, so easily moved. He pulled her towards him, dropping to the floor himself. Her chest rose with breath and he reached out, running a finger over the skin of her cheek. The color in her was fading, her lips growing gray, her skin pale.

When her eyes did open they were black. He stared down at the pupils that tried to register what was happening around her. The panic flooded her face and he tried to sooth her but the screams came back. She pushed him away, pushed as far from him as she could go. She slammed into the wall, hands reaching out and gripping the floor, eyes frantically surveying the room.

“Fiona?”

She looked at him quickly at the mention of her name. He could see the pain in her face, her eyes dilating larger yet. She looked lost, confused. Her wounds were gone and an unnatural glow emitted from her in the darkened hall.

“Who?”


	8. Chapter Eight

*five years later*

They sat in bright light, servants all around delivering glasses and plates, unneeded substance the elementals bothered with to feel normal. He stood there in silence, watching as fire and water spoke of treaties and policies, red wine stained lips a luxury of appearance. Liquor did nothing for their senses.

His eyes darted to the blended being of air, watching as she glanced up at the guard who leaned down to whisper in her ear. As the words trickled into her mind her eyes found him, staring darkly into him as the guard retraced his steps and headed back towards the door.

“What do you mean she’s not here?” Aereon rose from her seat, flitting across the room towards Bryan urgently. He stood his ground before the four graces, a look of apology in his features. They all watched him, eyes set on the mans demeanor, his unkempt appearance having changed in the last years. More scars, more exhaustion in each detailed feature about him. He stuck out like a sore thumb in their bright and pristine society setting.

“She’s gone.” He shifted his weight, looking towards the ground for a moment, shoulders hunched over. “By the time the guards got word to the shuttle outtake she had already taken off.”

“I thought there was a ban on her leaving?”

“There was.”

“Find me the man that let her go.” Aereon, ever composed and prepared, had a glimpse of worry to her features. Her eyes darted around the room, hands wringing together in stress. Her sisters did not share in her worry; rather, they seemed happily composed, genuine smiles overtaking their features. It was a blind happiness. “You know she’s not stable.”

Bryan said nothing to that; he only nodded and took two steps back before turning abruptly and escorting himself out of the room. The difference in opinion between the two, the choices that had been made over the last five years, a weight on both of their shoulders; it wasn’t the same anymore. It didn’t go the way it had been planned. He had known this would happen from the beginning. Tying her up and strapping her to that machine, purifying her brain away, he knew then that this wasn’t the right choice. Elementals weren’t forced, they agreed.

 _She’ll agree in the end_.

His anger at Aereon’s words fueled him to move faster. She had been right about only one thing so far, that much he was certain. Fiona was not ready for the world, not entirely ready for the changes that had happened in the last five years.

The Necro’s had destroyed the majority of the galaxy, that of which was still standing had taken on all walks of life. The cleanest and best of places harbored darkness’s now. When the new lord marshal had taken his place the ruthless killings had stopped, their title dropping out of existence so quickly. But time only had to wait, only had to tick on by before changes happened. The rumors were rising once again, a new commander amongst the ranks of the Necro’s. There was no clear statement from the ever changing and growing society, but there was a fear across the known galaxy of what might happen with this change.

Bryan quickened his step, pushing past guard and subject without a second glance. The truth stuck to him boldly, and it was only a matter of time before the air elemental realized how foolish it was that she had let him go. Fiona was gone, following a path he had marked out for her, a path he had been planning for months. It brought a small smile to his lips, knowing that maybe, just maybe, she’d have some peace.

* * *

She sat down the ship in bay C, dropping the hatch and grabbing her only bag from the passenger seat. The star jumper had gotten her far enough but the trace would lead the guard who would ignore Bryan’s orders to her eventually. She took a moment to look out at her surroundings, dropping down onto the platform and watching the bodies busily get to work.

With a rush of air pushing past her she was jolted from her mind. Fiona pushed on, not looking back as she headed towards the check in. She dropped creds for the refill, pushing her glasses up on her face, giving the receptionist a tight lip smile. The woman thanked her, asked for name, and then pushed her through processing. She snatched up the check out ticket and headed out through the waiting room. She kept her eyes down as she made her way through the masses, exiting out into the busy streets of Helion Prime.

Bryan had given her strict direction to where she needed to go, his words leading her through the busy streets as she mapped out the roads in her head. She shuffled through the masses, going unnoticed as the sun sank just on the other side of the buildings. Each turn she took twisted further into the city, deeper into the narrow alleys and back roads that went less traveled. The sun, a bartering tooling for this great planet, said its final farewell before sinking in for the night. Her glasses gave an extra dark tint to the world and she was gracious to find the place just up ahead.

When she reached the local dive bar in the depths of the inner structure of old Helion Prime she stepped into the darkness the inside offered, moving towards a table off to the side. She took a seat and leaned back against the wall, ordering a Jack and coke when the waitress made her way over.

_Look for a merc, someone who will sell off the ship you got and let you hop along for a few rides as they collect. They’ll take one look at you and let you on. Don’t trust them._

Bryan’s lecture was fresh in her head. He had relayed everything to her just minutes before he hit the autopilot button on the craft and darted off the hanger exit. She would remember for days the exact words he had relayed, down to the pauses and tonal differences.

_You can never come back._

She didn’t want to.

The bar was filling up with working stiffs, mill men, diggers, and harvesters of light. The light air of the place took on a new warmth and smell of hard work; dirt, sweat, and liquor. It was only a matter of time before the place was packed with noise and banter, Fiona sank back into her seat, eyes steady on the front door. She sipped at her drink; letting the liquid she hadn’t had in years burn a trail down her throat.

When he walked in she knew he was the one. He wasn’t grand in size, an average older man with dark brown hair, and a beard that was in need of trimming. He moved through the space among men without struggle, kept his eyes on the bar as he took a remaining seat just there and ordered.

He looked back at the crowd, watching, as did she, as a tall blonde and another man sank into the crowd, moving towards him but heading past to a booth just on the outskirts. Fiona watched as the commander sat at the bar alone and drank. When he ordered his second she picked herself up. Shuffling through the bodies, Fiona made sure to watch his crew, who were now watching her. She played as no threat to them, her lanky figure a shadow among these men, but they watched nonetheless.

“Can I help you?” He turned around when she approached, drink to his lips, eyes watching her. The man to his right turned too, and with good notion rose from his seat and excused himself from the bar. Fiona took his seat, not minding the people around her as she watched the merc through her glasses.

“I need transport and a little help with a jumper.”

“That’s exciting. The depot is down the street.”

“I’m not looking to sell; trade more or less.”

He chuckled, turning himself around and placing his elbows on the bar. He shrugged his shoulders with laughter, his crew watching just off to the left, eyes bouncing from him to each other. They didn’t know if they should move forward or stay back. No alarm; Fiona didn’t look to be a threat.

“What’s a kid like you got to trade that ain’t money?” He looked her up and down, taking in her attire, her stature. If she didn’t know better she would say he was jesting towards prostitution, but he seemed past that stage in his career. No; he was trying to size up the trouble that was sitting beside him.

“Knowledge.”

“I’m older and wiser, child. I don’t think there’s much you can give to me.”

“I know the coordinates of a bounty you’d be interested in.”

“Yeah?” He turned to her slightly, finishing off his drink before ordering two more. He slid one in her direction, peering at her through the glasses that shrouded her face. “What do you know about bounties?”

“Enough to know that a man presumed dead, now kicking and screaming, is worth quite a bit when he was once worth half a mil.”

“Does this bounty have a name?”

“I would presume so, but all I know is coordinates. That was all that was given to me.” She tipped back the Jack and coke he had offered, finishing off the drink hastily, turning to him completely, her knee bumping his hip. “Passage, and I’ll make you a rich man.”

“Who you runnin’ from?”

“No one special.”

“It’s always the runner’s that have something to prove. Who says you ain’t lying?” He met her gaze and she shrugged, reaching down to snatch up her bag she had deposited by her feet. When she went to rise he reached out and cautiously stopped her. “Let me see whats behind those glasses and I’ll consider.”

Fiona struggled with the idea, her hand wrapped around the weight of her world tucked inside her bag. Letting it slip back to the floor she put her weight back onto the seat and shrugged off his hand. Reaching up quickly she tipped her lenses down, staring him down deeply, watching as astonishment flickered over his features. Black pearls, that was all that sat in her sockets anymore. She wouldn’t call them eyes, and she didn’t care to look into them. She couldn’t exactly remember a time in which she had seen a normal reflect, as the majority of her memories were stories from Bryan’s mouth, but she could feel that she had once been normal.

“How do I get eyes like that?”

She quickly slipped her glasses back on, clearing her throat and leaning into the bar. His crew had risen, dropping creds on the bar. They could sense the end of this trip, their bodies moving past their captain, eyeing her up as well, before heading out the door.

“You have to die.”

He nodded, as if he understood, and maybe he did. She didn’t question it, watching as he finished off his last drink and dropped creds to pay for hers as well.

“Whats your name?”

“Fiona, you?”

“People call me Johns.” He shrugged his coat back into place; Fiona nodded her head, the name feeling familiar. She couldn’t place it, but she never could. Her life was a cloud of people and things and moments that sat just on the other side of a giant milky film that she couldn’t get close to. “Now come on, we ain’t got all night and we still have to pawn your jumper off of some unsuspecting victim.”

His grin was impish and Fiona chuckled, picking up her bag. She stepped in behind him and followed the man out of the bar.


End file.
